Tewksbury brothers facing child-porn charges

By Lisa Redmond, lredmond@lowellsun.com

Updated:
12/28/2012 08:15:27 AM EST

LOWELL -- Two Tewksbury brothers, one of whom teaches at Emmanuel College in Boston, have pleaded not guilty to charges of possessing child pornography in an investigation triggered by the Department of Homeland Security's cyber-crime unit.

Steven Fierimonte, 43, and Robert Fierimonte, 50, both of 100 Prospect Hill Drive, pleaded not guilty last Friday in Lowell District Court to one count each of possession of child pornography.

Judge Thomas Brennan released the men on personal recognizance with conditions that Steven Fierimonte, who is a math teacher at Emmanuel College, and his brother, who works in billing at Winchester Hospital, can only use the Internet at their places of work. Both men were ordered to have no unsupervised contact with children.

Emmanuel College officials have not responded to a reporter's inquiries about Steven Fierimonte's job status at the college.

Steven Fierimonte has also taught at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner and Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown, according to online records.

According to court documents, at 10 a.m. on Dec. 19, Tewksbury police were contacted to assist agents in the Homeland Security cyber-crime unit with an ongoing investigation possibly involving child pornography. When police and agents arrived at 100 Prospect Hill Drive, they spoke to Steven Fierimonte. He consented to a search of all computers and electronic equipment he owned, according to court documents.

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After a preliminary search performed by the cyber-crime unit of Steven Fierimonte's computer, investigators saw child pornography displayed on his computer, documents state. Steven Fierimonte was arrested.

Investigators then spoke to Robert Fierimonte, who lives at the same address. When agents asked to search his computer, Robert Fierimonte allegedly responded, "You are going to find child pornography on my computer," court documents state.

All the computers and electronics were seized as evidence in the case. The men are due back in court on Jan. 18 for a pretrial conference.

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